Two American women, both 25 years old, have been arrested in Japan on suspicion of smuggling approximately $1 million worth of marijuana into the country. The alleged smuggling operation involved two suitcases packed with "cannabis-like dried plants" that had been concealed during a flight from New York to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.
Authorities discovered the contraband when a customs officer became suspicious during an airport inspection. The seized marijuana weighed around 66 pounds and had an estimated street value of approximately $970,000, or 150 million yen. The suitcases contained a total of 35 small bags of the substance. The drugs were reportedly loaded onto a plane in New York on September 4 and arrived in Japan the following day.
Investigators stated that the women, who are friends, allegedly conspired with an unknown individual to carry out the smuggling. They reportedly received instructions from a man they met on social media, whom they had never met in person.
One of the arrested women allegedly admitted to the crime, telling Tokyo police that she was motivated by the financial reward and the prospect of a free trip to Japan. The other woman has reportedly denied knowledge of the drugs, claiming she was unaware that cannabis was inside the suitcases.
Japan enforces some of the world's strictest drug laws. Smuggling, possessing, or importing illegal narcotics, including marijuana, can lead to lengthy prison sentences. Convictions for smuggling cannabis for profit can result in up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 3 million yen. Bringing any cannabis products into the country, regardless of their legality elsewhere, can result in arrest and deportation.
While Japan permits certain cannabis-derived medicines for severe conditions under strict medical supervision, smokable medical cannabis and broader patient access remain prohibited. Non-psychoactive CBD and hemp-derived products are legal if they contain no THC or only trace amounts within the country's strict limits.
Last year, American playwright Jeremy O Harris was arrested in Japan on suspicion of smuggling ecstasy. He was taken into custody at Naha Airport in November 2025 after customs officials reportedly found a crystal substance in his bag, which tested positive for MDMA. He was released after three weeks in custody.